Through Thick and Thin
by CriminalOutsider'sGirl14
Summary: Sodapop wasn't going to let his autistic little brother, Ponyboy, take the brunt of his father's abuse. He had made a promise to always protect him, and it was starting to look like the price he had to pay to keep that promise was his life. Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Through Thick and Thin**

 **Summary: Sodapop wasn't going to let his autistic little brother, Ponyboy, take the brunt of his father's abuse. He had made a promise to always protect him, and it was starting to look like the price he had to pay to keep that promise was his life. Two-shot. **

**Disclaimer: No, silly, I never have nor will I ever own The Outsiders. S.E. Hinton owns The Outsiders. *sighs* :( I simply borrow them for my own creative enjoyment purposes.**

 **Darry: 20**

 **Sodapop: 16**

 **Ponyboy: 12**

 **Chapter 1: Nightmares, Closets, and Shots Fired**

 **~ December 10, 1965; 9:48 p.m. ~**

 **Sodapop**

The screaming always woke him up. Whether it was over the diminishing stash of booze, alleged cheating, or something as stupid as one of his parents breathed the wrong way and made the other one mad, the sounds of his parents fighting always woke him up.

When these nights occurred Sodapop would squeeze his little brother closer, resting his chin on the top of his head, and pray that he would continue to sleep. Tonight as he wrapped his arm around Ponyboy, the younger boy smelt like strawberries, a result of an accidental purchase made my Darry courtesy of a coupon and a misread bottle.

Instead of going back to sleep, Sodapop felt his little brother stir, turning around to face him. Ponyboy knew not to make any noise at times like this, but his eyes held a thousand questions.

 _I_ _know, baby brother,_ Sodapop thought desperately, watching as his brother squeezed his eyes shut tightly, as if it was all just a nightmare that could be slept away.

"Go back to sleep," Sodapop whispered as quietly as possible, relieved when Ponyboy rolled back over. As an hour or so ticked by, Sodapop was continuously kept up by the sounds of his parents arguing.

"Get out of my way, you useless slut. No girl of mine's gonna be caught sleeping around! You're a skank. I shoulda never married you!"

Soda heard his mother yell back insults, but the words were lost by Ponyboy suddenly letting out a blood curdling scream. Instinctively, Sodapop jumped up and clasped a hand around Ponyboy's mouth, praying that his parents wouldn't hear him. But the sound of approaching footsteps told him his prayers were a lost cause. Ponyboy stared up at him, wide eyed and shaking, with sweat dots forming on his forehead.

The door flung open and Sodapop felt his father push him off of Ponyboy before he punched the younger boy in the face.

"Keep your big mouth shut, boy, or I'll give you something to cry about," Mr. Curtis slurred, spitting each word out as if it tasted as bitter as he was.

Sodapop pushed his father backwards, standing protectively in front of the bed Ponyboy occupied.

"Stop!" He yelled. Sodapop wanted to sound intimidating, but instead he sounded as scared as he was.

"Stop? Watch your mouth, boy. You brats both need to learn some respect. I ain't gonna take this."

A sick smirk spread across Mr. Curtis' face, making both boy's blood run cold.

 ** _Darry_**

Darry slowly turned the knob to the house, cursing the squeaky hinges silently. His ankle was still smarting from where his father had stepped on it earlier that night.

"Please be passed out," Darry begged silently as he slowly pushed the door open. When he walked inside, he knew his hopes were crumbled.

His brother lay in the middle of the floor, blood surrounding his body, while his dad stood above him, swaying drunkenly with a gun held tightly in his left hand.

 ** _Sodapop_**

Sodapop fell back with a thud as his father pushed him with a surprising force for how drunk he was. Out of the corner of his eye, Soda looked over at his mother, who watched the whole thing happen with a sickening level of fascination.

"Go to the closet, Ponyboy!" Sodapop turned his head as he commanded his younger brother, spitting blood from between his teeth. His father kicked him in the stomach, causing the almost sixteen year old to cry out in pain.

The next thing his father did Sodapop never expected.

"'M sick of you kids. Diss'pectful. Imma teash you a lesson about respect, boy!"

Sodapop's father always kept a gun on the kitchen counter. He threatened the boys with it constantly, and Sodapop had always been to scared of the consequences if he tried to get rid of it. There were two bullet holes in Ponyboy's and his bedroom door as a testimony to the last time he tried to wrestle the gun away from his father.

The sound of his father cocking the gun back rang out through the small, dirty house, but nothing like the sound that followed. Without warning a gunshot rang out, followed by the sounds of Sodapop struggling to breathe.

 ** _Darry_**

Darry ran and collapsed at his brother's side, ignoring his father completely. Somewhere deep in his panicked brain, reason screamed at him to call 911.

He punched in the numbers with shaking fingers, a thousand thoughts running through his head, five hundred of them being, " _I can't lose my brother."_

"Hello? Please send help. My brother has been shot!" Darry screamed. He felt his voice take on an edge of hysteria. Taking a calming deep breath, Darry rattled off his address before rushing back to Sodapop's side.

"You're gonna be okay, little buddy. Help is on the way. I promise."

 _Please be okay._

"Ponyboy," Sodapop mumbled tiredly.

"I'll get him," Darry reassured his brother, knowing exactly where Ponyboy was and what Sodapop meant. The closet was the place he and Sodapop agreed would be his hiding spot when he wanted to be by himself or when his dad was angry. Darry remembered being thirteen and playing hide and go seek with his little brothers when his parents were too drunk to do anything to them for making noise. He would always hide in the closet, but Darry would pretend to not know where he was.

"Ponyboy," Darry announced, slowly opening the closet door. Darry found the younger boy smashed in the very corner of his compact closet, rocking back and forth with his knees to his chest.

"Come here, little colt," Darry offered in a calm voice.

Ponyboy shook his head quickly.

"Come on. Dad is gone. You're safe, Pone," Darry reassured him. Ponyboy crawled over shoes and into Darry's arms, a tear slipping down his face.

"You're okay," Darry reassured his little brother. Darry heard his brother take a deep breath before the both of them stood up.

"Stay here for one second, okay, Ponyboy?" Darry said firmly, to which the younger boy nodded to. He directed Ponyboy to sit on the bed before running back out to Sodapop, hearing sirens in the distance.

"Come on, Sodapop. It's gonna be alright," Darry begged as he pressed down on Sodapop's wound, squeezing his hand tightly.

It had to be alright.

"I can't lose you, little buddy."

The only response Darry got was the strangled sounds of Sodapop's labored breathing as the sirens became louder and louder.

 **A/N: Please let me know what you thought! Thank you so much for reading. :)**

 **Stay Gold,**

 **~ Alee XxX**


	2. Chapter 2

**Through Thick and Thin**

 **Summary : **Sodapop wasn't going to let his autistic little brother, Ponyboy, take the brunt of his father's abuse. He had made a promise to always protect him, and it was starting to look like the price he had to pay to keep that promise was his life.

 **Candymouse22: Thank you so much for taking the time to review! I hope you enjoy this last chapter as well. :)**

 **White collar black wolf: Thank you so much! I'm glad that you enjoyed it.**

 **HappierThanMost: I'm glad I got all the emotion across correctly. And lol I did, I really tried to! xD Thank you so, so much for your review! They never ever fail to put me in a good mood and make me smile. :)**

 **Amanda (Guest): Aww thank you so much! You never fail to review and it means so much. I am so glad that you enjoyed. :)**

 **One Wing In The Fire: Thank you so much! I've been trying to pay more attention to details. Not really nonverbal, but at first he couldn't talk, and then I just kind of had him not talking and I guess, yeah I made him kind of nonverbal but in his chapter I had him talk, he just doesn't talk a lot. And oh my goodness I'm so glad! I was hoping I didn't disrespect anyone who is autistic or has family that is. Sorry I talked so much, but thank you so much for taking the time to review! :)**

 **FrankElza: Ooh unexpected is good, I'm glad! Here it is. Thank you so much for taking the time to review.**

 **Guest: Thank you so much for taking the time to review! Here's the second chapter. :) And just out of curiosity, what's your account name?**

 **Chapter 2: Doctor's Orders**

 **~ December 11, 1965; 6:27 a.m. ~**

 ** _Darry_**

Five long, painful hours passed at the hospital before Sodapop was out of emergency surgery. For all five of those hours Ponyboy didn't speak a single word to Darry. The uncomfortable silence was finally broken by a doctor.

"Are you the family of Sodapop Curtis?" Being that they were the only ones in the room, Doctor Alvarez was fairly certain they were, but they nodded to confirm anyway.

"Your brother just came out of emergency surgery. He's tired and won't wake up for a few hours, but he's stabilized. The bullet went through his appendix and didn't hit anything else major. He's down an organ, but he should make a full recovery."

Darry let out a shaking breath, tears of relief burning in the back of his eyes. But he didn't let them show. Looking over at Ponyboy, Darry bit back his burning tears and forced a thankful smile.

"Thank you so much, Doctor Alvarez. We really appreciate it," Darry thanked him appreciatively, sticking his hand out for a shake. The two shook hands before Darry and Ponyboy were told Sodapop's room number.

"247, got it," Darry mumbled. He felt Ponyboy squeeze his hand as the two made their way to Sodapop's room. As he passed the rooms the pained moans from patients filled his head as the smell of chemical hit his nose, leaving behind a faint tingling sensation.

As Darry approached Sodapop's room, he could hear the steady, rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. With each beep it promised that Sodappp was alive and they were going to be okay. As long as Sodapop was okay, and as long as he had both of his brothers, he could live with the rest.

 **~ December 11, 1965; 7:39 a.m. ~**

The sounds of Sodapop's breathing mixed with Ponyboy's low, relaxed breaths, laboring on the edge of snoring but never crossed over. Ponyboy had his forehead pressed to Sodapop's arm, their fingers loosely intertwined as the two slept. Darry was shocked Ponyboy was able to fall asleep, but Darry was grateful; he could tell Ponyboy was exhausted.

Darry took a long gulp of his coffee, wincing at the taste. He hadn't bothered to put any creamer or sugar in it. He figured the stronger the better to combat his exhaustion.

The first sound to break the relative peaceful silence was a moan. Sodapop's fingers twitched, and Darry watched as Sodapop slowly opened his eyes, blinking slowly, as if each action exhausted him.

"Hey, little buddy. I'm here," Darry encouraged. Darry watched Ponyboy lift his head up, his emerald eyes lighting up when he saw Sodapop.

"Hey, Sodapop," Ponyboy whispered softly, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Mmmm..."

Darry chuckles softly. "I know, little buddy. You're in a hospital."

"I remember," Sodapop mumbled, glancing down. Darry rubbed Sodapop's shoulder gently, offering a small smile.

"It's going to be alright, got it?" Darry reassured his little brother.

"Darry? What happens...w-with dad and all?" Sodapop asked, sounding unsure.

"Don't worry about it, little buddy. We'll figure it out, I won't let anything happen to you two. But for now just focus on getting better, alright?"

Darry was certain he was going to protect his brothers and figure everything out for them. Because that's what you did. You protected family, no matter what the cost.

 **A/N: Please let me know what you thought! Thank you so much for reading. :) Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter.**

 **Stay Gold,**

 **~ Alee XxX**


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